Orange and Dark chocolate chip with crunchy streusel

Muffins are one of my favourite quick comfort bakes that really allows every baker to put their stamp on the flavour. What I love about muffins is that there is always time to eat them. You can have them with breakfast or lunch or as and afternoon treat. They are super easy to make and this recipe is impossible to mess up. My favourite kind of recipe is usually the one that you make with a hand whisk and you don’t have to mess around with hand held mixers etc. This is exactly that kind of recipe.

My ultimate favourite is orange and cranberry with cinnamon streusel however as it’s not winter yet I’m going to keep that recipe for later…. so today I made orange and dark chocolate chip muffins with crunchy streusel.

Streusel to me is something that makes a perfect pairing with muffins and adds another texture to the bake. It’s very simple yet effective addition. The method in using is slightly different to other recipes I researched however I have been watching my grandmother and my mum doing it for years and it works very well every time.

Ingredients: (makes 8 medium size muffins)

Muffins:

• 63ml Vegetable oil

• 1 Egg

• 75 ml Milk

• 50 ml Freshly squeezed orange juice (I usually squeeze half an orange)

• 200g Self raising flour (or 200g plain flour and 1.5 tsp baking powder)
• 125g Golden caster sugar
• 0.5 Tsp salt
• Zest of one orange
• 50g of Dark Chocolate chips

Streusel:

• 2 tablespoons of caster sugar

• 2 tablespoons of cold butter

• 1/4 cup flour

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan and align the muffin tray with paper cases. Beat the egg and add oil,milk and orange juice together with zest. Whisk until combined.

1. Add sugar and salt and whisk until well combined then soft the flour and fold in gently (be careful not to overmix as that will make the muffins heavy). Fold in the chocolate chips.
2. Add all the streusel ingredients in to the bowl and start rubbing with your fingertips until it becomes crumbly. Once mixed form a ball and pop into the freezer for 15 minutes.
3. Fill the muffin cases two thirds full. Take the streusel out of the freezer and grate using the side with large holes. Then sprinkle on top of the muffins

Bake the muffins for 20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely